A post-Chen apocalypse
What would be the responses domestically and abroad if former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) should die in prison?
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) will express his regret about the outcome, but praise the impartial justice that has done its job by torturing and killing Chen, while teaching taidu (台獨, “Taiwanese independence”) a lesson.
Deep-blue Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supporters will celebrate and reiterate their claim that the “corrupt, disgraced, independence-minded” Chen deserved his punishment and fate.
Across the Taiwan Strait, China will say that this is the destiny of anyone who supports and advocates secession from the motherland.
The international academics and non-governmental organizations that repeatedly called for Chen to be released or granted medical parole will say: “I told you so.”
The Taiwanese public and the Democratic Progressive Party will be shocked and pained at the news.
They will demand a thorough investigation of the entire process that lead to the former president’s imprisonment and eventual death to uncover any malfeasance.
Meanwhile, the number of people who would like to see Ma receive similar treatment to Chen will increase.
The nation would be plunged into chaos, with the pan-blue and pan-green camps trading blame, and China would be the beneficiary.
In reality, they are all political co-conspirators and together, we kill Chen.
Ji Yang
Ohio
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